Sunderland pair jailed after £5m cocaine haul is discovered in back of HGV
Three men in their 60s are behind bars after a £5m cocaine haul was brought into the UK in the back of an HGV lorry.
Veteran Graham Welsh used his transport business, alongside pal Gary Jackson, who had also served in the army, as a “cover” for driver Colin Cowie to import the 50 kilo shipment from Belgium into Dover via Calais.
Newcastle Crown Court heard the illegal load, which had been transported in two sealed cardboard boxes, was driven to a service station, handed over to another man and then packed into an Audi A1 motor which was on the back of a Peugeot low loader.
Police swooped on the A1 in North Yorkshire and seized the cocaine, which was around 85 per cent pure, from the Audi.
Welsh, 64, of Hylton Road, Jackson, 65, of Belstone Court, both Sunderland and Cowie, 64, of Chamberlin Street, Blyth, were all convicted of fraudulent evasion on the prohibition of importation of cocaine and conspiracy to supply cocaine between June and August 2022.
Welsh was jailed for 16 years, Jackson for 15 years and Cowie for nine years.
Prosecutor Daniel Cordey told the court the drugs were seized from the Audi motor and were in single kilo packages inside two boxes.
He said the cocaine had a “potential street value of £5m”.
Mr Cordey said Welsh used his business MGW Haulage, based on Leechmere Industrial Estate, as a “cover” and must have expected high rewards if he was “willing to put his legitimate business at risk”.
The court heard Jackson said he was an “unpaid consultant” at the transport business and would assist with route planning.
Cowie was employed as an HGV driver at Welsh's firm.
Mr Cordey said: "It was a professionally organised operation involving importation of a large quantity of drugs into the UK.”
The court heard Welsh, who is a family man with grandchildren, has never been in trouble before, handed in employment and character references and has shown remorse.
He served in the armed forces, including in Northern Ireland, and now has health problems.
The court heard Jackson also served in Northern Ireland then became an HGV driver for over 35 years and also has health problems.
Jackson has two previous convictions for dealing cannabis.